Itinerant Air-Cooled

Anything concerning in these photos, particularly as it relates to valve guides and seats? (2.0L Type IV)

Head 1


Head 2


#1


#2


#3


#4

Captain Obvious here, most likely, but #3 has a good size crack and something really bad happened to #4. Are you planning on reusing these heads?

Satchmo

satchmo wrote: ↑

Sun Dec 08, 2019 7:26 pm

Captain Obvious here, most likely, but #3 has a good size crack and something really bad happened to #4. Are you planning on reusing these heads?

I was hoping to reuse them. That crack in #3 is far less obvious to the naked eye than it is in that photo. But that's the kiss of death, isn't it?

The damage to #4 has been there since I bought the Bus, including the first time the engine was apart. Ugly, but apparently no impact on functionality.

Any recommendations on where to purchase good rebuilt heads if I don't want to pay Hoffman prices?

Cracks between the valve seats are more common, but I think that any crack that finds its way into the seat is probably bad.

I had Headflow Masters rebuild a set of heads for me once. They didn't last that long, unfortunately.

I had another set of heads redone by Rocky Jennings in Walla Walla, WA because I lived only an hour or so away. He does good work, but it took a lot of time and more than a little money.

There has to be a machinist close to you who has the tools, the experience, and the talent. Ask around.

Satchmo

I don't know what $$ you'd be looking at for machine work, but consider that new AMC heads are going for ~$430 apiece. Depending on your budget vs. tolerance for risk, as exhaustively explored in this Samba thread, putting on a fresh pair of plain AMC heads (unmodified by Len) may be your least-stress option.

Heat two exhaust valve guide looks to be worn as well, from the deposits on it.

Close-up in-focus pictures of the back sides of the valves themselves will also help. You can tell a lot about the valve/seat relationship from them.

Why would one head appear to have copper shims(?) under the valve springs?

Adrian's Type 1 heads have been solid for me, but his Type 4 heads haven't lasted very long in friends' cars.

Robbie